August 8, 2024

Giving back to others can contribute to a young person’s growth. Studies show that service has positive impacts on both mental and physical health. It strengthens social connection. And it enhances their perspective on their own lives and on the world around them.

That’s why a core component of our work with young people is to provide opportunities to plan and participate in service projects.

“We like to instill a sense of gratitude in our youth, and make sure they understand that as they’re improving themselves, we want them to become very involved with their community and be civic minded,” said program manager Gewanda Monroe.

Residents at our girls home, for example, make regular plans throughout the year to give back to the community. Meanwhile, our Youth Advisory Board, a group of young people who demonstrate leadership while living with us, also plans a service project every year that their peers can enjoy while building camaraderie.

This summer, our young people came together to clean up Big Marsh Park, a wetland preserve in the South Deering neighborhood on Chicago’s Southeast Side.

Tiera, a resident at our girls home and a member of the Youth Advisory board, came up with the idea to organize the clean up.

“This year she rallied the other girls around this idea and spoke to why it was important,” Monroe said.

Alise is also a resident at our girls home and a member of the Youth Advisory Board. The project gave her an opportunity to explore an unfamiliar part of Chicago, once home to the city’s long-gone steel mills.

“Even though it was hot outside, it was very fun because I never knew that area,” Alise said.

Our young people have also volunteered at Special Olympics Chicago, Feed My Starving Children, the Ridge Run in the Beverly neighborhood of Chicago, just to name a few.

“[These volunteer projects] give them an opportunity to be a part of a larger community,” Monroe said. “And it shows them how they can contribute to the world outside of themselves.”

This summer, our young women are also traveling to North Carolina to participate in a service opportunity with Habitat for Humanity, the global nonprofit that provides affordable housing to people in need. The trip is one our young people have taken multiple times in past years and allows our youth to spend a week building houses for those in need. Our young men, meanwhile, are participating in a similar project with Habitat for Humanity in Mississippi.

These recent projects are just a sample of the ways our kids give back throughout the year and help to enhance the lives of others. They will summarize their efforts at Christmastime in the Book of Service, which they present as a gift to the people of Chicago at our annual Tree Lighting in December.

We are proud of all our young people for their commitment to helping others both locally and across our country. Truly, the impact of your support is felt far beyond our home.